Do I need to learn every Chinese measure word?

No. Chinese has many measure words, but in everyday conversation you only use a handful of common ones. Mastering the frequent measure words by group — people, animals, objects, food & drink — is enough for most situations. Rarer ones you learn as needed.

What if I'm not sure which measure word to use?

When you can't recall the exact measure word, you can fall back on 个 (gè) — the most common one, which works with many nouns for people and objects. It isn't always the most precise, but listeners still understand, and you'll refine it as you get used to the specialized measure words.

How do I remember which measure word goes with which noun?

The most effective way is to learn the measure word together with the noun as a complete phrase, e.g. 一本书 (one book), 一只猫 (one cat). Every measure word on Hanbeego has examples with pinyin by group, so you remember them in context instead of in isolation.

Is looking up Chinese measure words on Hanbeego free?

Yes. You can browse all measure words by group for free, with usage notes and pinyin examples. It's a handy tool that helps you use the right measure word and speak more natural Chinese throughout your HSK journey.

Grammar · 量词

Chinese measure words

Q: What is a measure word in Chinese?

A measure word (量词) sits between a number and a noun to indicate the unit of a thing. Chinese doesn't say 'one person' but 'one 个 person', not 'three books' but 'three 本 books'. Each kind of noun usually takes a specific measure word, so using the right one is essential to sound natural.

Chinese doesn't say “one person” but “one 个 person”. Each kind of noun takes its own measure word — look up the 34 most common measure words by group to speak naturally.

Measure words34

Groups11

Examples with pinyin50

Browse measure words

34 measure words

General measure words2

Usable for most nouns when you are unsure of the specific measure word.

gè

general measure word (for people and most objects)

The most common measure word; used for people and most objects when there is no specialized measure word.

xiē

some, a few

Indicates an indefinite quantity; always follows 一 or 这/那.

People3

Measure words for people, with varying degrees of politeness.

wèi

(polite, formal measure word for people)

Used respectfully for people: guests, teachers, elders.

míng

(measure word for people by occupation/title)

Used for people tied to a profession or role; somewhat formal in tone.

kǒu

(measure word for members of a household)

Counts the number of people in a family.

Animals4

Measure words for animals, varying by species.

zhī

(measure word for small animals)

Used for most small animals: dogs, cats, birds, chickens, etc.

tiáo

(measure word for long, thin things; also for pants)

Used for long, slender things: fish, snakes, rivers, roads, pants.

pǐ

(measure word for horses; also for bolts of cloth)

Used for horses and rolls/bolts of cloth.

tóu

(measure word for large livestock)

Used for large livestock: buffalo, cattle, pigs.

Flat / thin objects2

Measure words for flat, thin objects.

zhāng

(measure word for flat surfaces: sheets, tickets, etc.)

Used for things with a flat surface: paper, tables, tickets, photos, beds.

piàn

slice, piece, stretch (of area)

Used for thin slices or a stretch/expanse of something.

Long / handheld objects3

Measure words for long, slender or handheld objects.

zhī

(measure word for long, rigid things like pens and sticks)

Used for long, rigid objects: pens, cigarettes, troops/columns.

bǎ

(measure word for things with a handle)

Used for objects with a handle or grip: chairs, knives, umbrellas, keys.

zhī

(measure word for branches/sprigs)

Used for branches or sprigs bearing flowers or leaves.

Books & publications2

Measure words for printed publications.

běn

(measure word for books, volumes)

Used for books, notebooks, magazines.

fèn

copy (of a newspaper), portion, serving

Used for newspapers, documents, and food servings.

Vehicles / machines4

Measure words for vehicles and machinery.

liàng

(measure word for wheeled vehicles)

Used for wheeled vehicles: cars, bicycles, motorbikes.

jià

(measure word for aircraft and machines)

Used for airplanes, pianos, and large machines.

tái

(measure word for appliances/equipment)

Used for electrical appliances, computers, TVs.

sōu

(measure word for ships and boats)

Used for large ships and boats.

Food & drink4

Measure words for food and beverages.

bēi

cup, glass

Used for drinks served in a cup or glass.

píng

bottle

Used for liquids in a bottle.

wǎn

bowl

Used for food served in a bowl.

pán

plate, dish

Used for dishes served on a plate.

Clothing3

Measure words for clothing.

jiàn

(measure word for clothes and matters/affairs)

Used for tops/garments, items, and matters or affairs.

shuāng

pair

Used for things that come in pairs: shoes, chopsticks, hands.

dǐng

(measure word for hats and caps)

Used for hats, caps, tents.

Buildings / blocks3

Measure words for structures and solid masses.

zuò

(measure word for large structures and mountains)

Used for large structures: mountains, bridges, buildings.

jiān

room

Used for rooms and chambers.

kuài

piece, lump; yuan (colloquial, for money)

Used for block- or lump-shaped objects and for money in colloquial speech.

Abstract / actions4

Measure words for times, occasions, and events.

cì

time, occurrence

Counts the number of times an action occurs.

biàn

time (through, from start to finish)

Emphasizes completing something once from beginning to end.

dùn

(measure word for meals and bouts/scoldings)

Used for meals and a bout of scolding.

zhǒng

kind, type

Classifies things by kind or type.

What is a Chinese measure word?

A Chinese measure word (量词 liàngcí) sits between a number and a noun to indicate the unit of a thing. Unlike English, Chinese almost always requires a measure word: not “one person” but “one 个 person”, not “three books” but “three 本 books”. Each kind of noun usually takes its own measure word, so using the right one is essential to sound natural in Chinese.

Measure word structure

Number+Measure word+Noun

Example: 三 (three) + 本 (measure word) + 书 (book) → 三本书 sān běn shū = three books.

How to use Chinese measure words

Measure words fall into two kinds: nominal measure words (名量词) that count things like 个, 本, 只, and verbal measure words (动量词) that count action occurrences like 次, 遍. Measure words for people, animals, objects and food & drink each have their own conventions — learning them by group sticks faster than in isolation.

You don't need to learn every measure word. In everyday conversation, mastering the most common ones is enough for most situations. When you can't recall the exact one, you can fall back on 个 (gè) — the all-purpose measure word that works with most nouns for people and objects — then refine it as you get used to them.

The most effective memory tip is to learn a measure word together with its noun as a complete phrase, e.g. 一本书 (one book) or 一只猫 (one cat). Every measure word on Hanbeego has usage notes and examples with pinyin so you remember them in context.

Common Chinese measure words table

The 12 most common measure words with pinyin, meaning and examples — quick lookup when you need it.

Measure word	Pinyin	Meaning / used for	Example
个	gè	general measure word (for people and most objects)	一个人 one person
位	wèi	(polite, formal measure word for people)	一位老师 a teacher
只	zhī	(measure word for small animals)	一只猫 one cat
张	zhāng	(measure word for flat surfaces: sheets, tickets, etc.)	一张纸 a sheet of paper
条	tiáo	(measure word for long, thin things; also for pants)	一条鱼 one fish
本	běn	(measure word for books, volumes)	一本书 one book
件	jiàn	(measure word for clothes and matters/affairs)	一件衣服 a piece of clothing
杯	bēi	cup, glass	一杯水 a glass of water
辆	liàng	(measure word for wheeled vehicles)	一辆车 one car
双	shuāng	pair	一双鞋 a pair of shoes
块	kuài	piece, lump; yuan (colloquial, for money)	一块蛋糕 a piece of cake
次	cì	time, occurrence	三次 three times